These Grilled Veggie Skewers are easy to throw together and full of flavor. You’ll love cooking veggie skewers on the grill!
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I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for easy ways to get more veggies on the table. These Grilled Veggie Skewers make it super easy to add delicious vegetables to just about any meal. Think tender zucchini, sweet red and yellow bell peppers, juicy whole mushrooms, and red onion that turns soft and a little jammy over the heat.
They’ve got a slight char and tons of flavor! There’s no need to marinate them ahead of time either. A quick garlicky balsamic marinade gets brushed on right at the grill, and it caramelizes into sticky, sweet-and-tangy edges while the veggies cook.
This is one of those recipes I make on repeat all summer long. Whenever the grill is already fired up for dinner, I thread a few of these on the side. They take about 10 minutes to prep, and somehow they’re always the first thing to disappear. They’re also my favorite way to use up whatever produce is hanging out in the fridge.
They’re perfect as a side dish to a steak or Grilled Chicken Wings, as a topping for a salad, or just as a delicious summer snack.
They’re perfect as a side dish, a topping for a salad, or just a delicious summer snack. Serve them next to a juicy Grilled Flank Steak or tangy Balsamic Grilled Chicken, which uses the same balsamic flavors.
For an easy cookout spread, add smoky Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or crispy-skinned Grilled Chicken Drumsticks. And if you want to turn these into a full meal on a stick, my Grilled Kielbasa and Veggie Kabobs are a must.
Note from the Author
2026 Update: When I first shared this recipe back in 2021, it was a simple version of this post with just the basics. I’ve since updated it with more tips and step-by-step details so you’ll have everything you need to make perfectly charred, flavorful grilled veggie skewers at home.
Step by Step Instructions for Veggie Skewers Recipe
Check out the recipe card below for more in-depth instructions for these grilled vegetable skewers:
- Soak: If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes so they don’t burn on the grill.
- Cut and thread: Slice the zucchini about ¼-inch thick and cut the bell peppers and red onion into squares about the same size. Thread them onto the skewers with the whole mushrooms, leaving a little space between each piece.
- Whisk: Whisk together the olive oil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Grill: Preheat your grill to 350°F. Place the skewers on the grates, brush them with the marinade using a silicone brush, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes with the lid closed.
- Flip and finish: Flip the skewers with tongs, brush on more marinade, and cook for another 7 to 8 minutes until the veggies are fork tender with a nice char. Don’t rush this part. That char is where all the flavor is.
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Recipe Testing Notes and Tips
As a recipe developer with a degree in food science, I create approachable recipes you can trust. Here are a few takeaways:
- Cut for cook time, not just size: Harder or denser veggies take longer to cook, so cut the zucchini slices a little thicker and the bell pepper pieces a little smaller so everything finishes together.
- Whole mushrooms hold up best: Sliced mushrooms dry out and fall off the skewer. Whole white mushrooms stay juicy and grip the skewer better.
- Keep the onion layers together: Cut the red onion into squares about 2 to 3 layers thick so the pieces don’t slip apart.
- Brush, don’t soak: There’s no need to marinate these ahead of time. Brushing the marinade on at the grill gives you all the flavor without soggy veggies.
- The food science bit: Balsamic vinegar has natural sugars that caramelize over the heat and give you those sweet, sticky charred edges. That’s also why direct high heat can scorch it, so stick to medium heat around 350°F and keep the lid closed.
Tip
If you want veggies that char instead of steam, give them a little breathing room on the skewer.
When the pieces are packed tight, the steam gets trapped between them and they turn soft before they ever brown. Leaving a small gap between each piece lets the heat circulate, so you get tender veggies with those smoky, caramelized edges all the way around.
Variations
- Lemon herb: Swap the balsamic for fresh lemon juice and add chopped fresh parsley, basil, or oregano after grilling.
- Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade for a little heat.
- Parmesan finish: Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over the hot skewers right off the grill.
- Add cherry tomatoes: Tuck in cherry tomatoes for juicy, blistered bites. They cook fast, so add them to their own skewer.
- Balsamic glaze drizzle: Drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving for an extra sweet, tangy finish.
Recipe FAQs
I personally like using metal skewers to hold up to the heat on the grill. You’ll never have to worry about them charring.
Definitely be careful and use tongs or heat-resistant silicone mitts to help you flip the skewers, they’ll pick up heat quickly!
If you’re grilling with bamboo skewers, you’ll want to soak your skewers in water for at least 20-30 minutes. This will help keep the skewers from burning while on the grill!
You’ve got a few options to grill your vegetables if you don’t have skewers! The first is to make an aluminum foil packet to wrap up all the vegetables and seasonings into. This will steam the veggies a bit more so they won’t have as much of the char flavor.
Another option is to use a grill pan that sits right on the grill grates. You can either use aluminum foil to help with clean up, or keep the veggies right on the pan.
Using something like a cast iron pan right on the grill is another alternative if you don’t have a grill pan.
As long as you can skewer the veggie, it would be a great addition to your veggie skewers! Try one of these: Zucchini, summer squash, red bell peppers, red or yellow onions, whole mushrooms, brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, or sliced potatoes.
You’ll want to consider making the cuts of the vegetables around the same size. Another thing to think about is the thickness or hardness of the vegetables.
You may want thicker slices of zucchini and smaller slices of bell pepper to make sure they’re cooking at the same rate.
A balsamic vinaigrette is perfect for grilled veggie skewers. It packs a ton of flavor that pairs well with most vegetables.
You can use your own salad dressing, or make your own! It just takes a few ingredients to make so you can add whatever you’d like. If you like extra garlic, load it on up. If you like spicy, add in some crushed red pepper flakes!
Make sure your veggies are cut to similar sizes, keep the skewers off direct high flame, and rotate them as they cook. Brushing the marinade on instead of drenching them also helps, since the sugars in balsamic vinegar can burn over high heat.
At around 350°F, cook them for about 15 minutes total. That’s about 7 to 8 minutes per side, or you can rotate them every 4 to 5 minutes so they cook evenly on all sides.
Yes! Cut the veggies and thread the skewers up to a day ahead, then store them covered in the fridge. Whisk the marinade and keep it separate until you’re ready to grill.
Grilled Veggie Skewers
These Grilled Veggie Skewers are easy to throw together and full of flavor. You'll love cooking veggie skewers on the grill!
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, sliced into ¼"
- 2 bell peppers, one yellow and one red, cut into squares
- 1 red onion, cut into squares
- 1 pint whole white mushrooms
For marinade:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ tablespoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoons pepper
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak them for 20 minutes prior to assembling.
- Put veggies on skewers until all are used.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Preheat grill to 350°F.
- Place veggie skewers onto the grill grates. Use a silicone brush and brush the marinade onto the veggies. Let skewers cook for 7-8 minutes with the grill cover closed to maintain the heat.
- Use tongs to flip the skewers and brush with the marinade again. Cook for an additional 7-8 minutes.
- Remove skewers from grill and serve warm.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat, or toss them cold into salads, pasta, or wraps.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 298mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
